New Lotus Esprit? Type 135 supercar to get V8 power and rival the Ferrari Testarossa

As part of its ‘Focus 2030’ initiative, Lotus has announced it’ll launch a new Type 135 supercar in 2028, complete with a hybridised V8 powertrain and mid-engined chassis that it’s claimed will challenge the world’s best. 

Although this feels like a claim we’ve heard before, Lotus seems deadly serious about making this one a reality. The difference this time is that it comes with the backing of a multi-national corporation that sold over three million cars in 2025.

According to the British, but Chinese-owned firm, “This will be an all-new car, featuring a V8 hybrid powertrain, with over 1,000PS. It is expected to be manufactured in Europe, and further details of the car will be announced later this year.”

This also means that Lotus’ Hethel plant in Norfolk could be in store for an expansion, as the brand prepares for an updated Emira coming later this month and, with this news, potential production of this new hybrid-powered supercar, too. The company says, “Design and engineering [will be] rooted in the UK, home of the brand's identity and motorsport expertise, and R&D in China to deliver rapid scale to market.”

Where will the V8 engine come from?

It’s unlikely that Lotus has the capacity to engineer its own V8 engine from scratch, but Horse powertrains – a joint venture between Geely and Renault – could be the source. At the recent Beijing Auto Show, Horse revealed a new petrol-powered 90-degree 3.0-litre V6 with twin turbocharging, built-in exhaust manifolds and the ability to stretch to an 8,000rpm red line. 

This V6 engine is modular, so it could be scaled up to eight cylinders without too much investment, and it has also been designed to work with both mild and full-hybrid applications. 

Alternatively, Lotus could turn to AMG for its V8, as it did for the four-cylinder engine in the Emira. A V8 powertrain is already used in various AMG models, plus other customer applications including the Aston Martin Valhalla. 

If you’re thinking of buying a new sports or supercar, check out the Auto Express Buy a Car service now for a whole range of high performance models in stock right now. 

What will the Lotus Type 135 look like?

Lotus has also released a teaser image showing part of the new Type 135. Emerging from the dark rear image, it shows a wide, clean and altogether more restrained design, with simple horizontal two-piece rear lights and a subtle Lotus badge. 

There are no obvious aero devices or wings on top of the bodywork. However, the large central section, which also houses two round exhaust pipes, could contain some clever air-management functionality in combination with the large diffuser below. You can also see the use of chopped or ‘forged’ carbon fibre on the lower bumper, similar to the Lotus Theory 1 concept car. 

In fact, put the Type 135 and Theory 1 side by side and you can see the influence of the more extreme concept car, both in the general aesthetic of the new supercar’s rear end and the clean haunches and simple glass engine cover. 

In total contrast to the more aerodynamically influenced Evija and Emira, the Type 135 looks to usher in a more elegant and almost classical design language – one that looks more road-biased than the racier Aston Martin Valhalla or Ferrari Testarossa. 

Where will the Lotus Type 135 sit in the supercar market?

Beyond these initial nuggets of information, there’s precious little extra detail, although Lotus has confirmed that we’ll learn more throughout 2026. This should include more context about the V8 and its place in the powertrain layout, plus how this supercar will be pitched – is Lotus going after the million-pound Aston Martin Valhalla, or will it take aim at higher-volume models like the Lamborghini Temerario and Ferrari 296 GTB? 

And what about the name? As usual with Lotus, when a car is still in its prototype phase, it features a ‘Type’ moniker, but that will change once the production car has been revealed. Tellingly, one of the images sent to us had a file name that didn’t say Type 135 but Esprit. Guess this is the Lotus Esprit, then. 

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